| Numbers |
| ichi : 1 |
| sho : first (as in shodan) |
| ni : 2 |
| san : 3 |
| shi : 4 |
| yon : 4 (as in yondan) |
| go : 5 |
| roku : 6 |
| shichi : 7 |
| nana : 7 |
| hachi : 8 |
| ku : 9 |
| ju : 10 |
| ni ju : 20 |
| san ju : 30 |
| yon ju : 40 |
| go ju : 50 |
| roku ju : 60 |
| shichi ju : 70 |
| nana ju : 70 |
| hachi ju : 80 |
| ku ju : 90 |
| hyaku : 100 |
| sen : 1000 |
| mon : 10,000 |
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| A |
| age hiji ate : rising elbow strike |
| Ananku : the twelfth kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| anza : cross-leg sitting |
| arigato : thank you |
| arigato gozaimasu : thank you very much (more polite) |
| ashi : foot |
| ashi sabaki : stepping and sliding |
| atama : head |
| atemi : concentrated power |
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| B |
| bo : wooden staff, usually about 6 ft. See also "kon" |
| bojutsu : staff art |
| bubishi : ancient martial arts text from China |
| budo : martial way or path. "Bu" literally means to stop a spear. "Do" means way or path. |
| bunkai : analysis of movements (usually of kata) |
| bushido : way of the warrior |
| butoku : principles of warriors |
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| C |
| chinto : the eighteenth kata of Shorin-ryu karate |
| chishi : ancient form of dumbbell |
| chokuritsu fudo dachi : formal attention stance |
| chudan : middle level |
| chudan hasami uke : middle scissors block |
| chudan shotei ate : middle palm-heel smash |
| chudan shotei uke : middle palm-heel block |
| chudan shuto uke : middle knife-hand block |
| chudan soto mawashi uke : middle sideward round block |
| chudan soto shuto uke : middle outward knife-hand block |
| chudan soto uke : middle outward block |
| chudan uchi uke : middle inner block |
| chudan uke : middle block |
| chudan wari uke : middle split block |
| chudan yoko-shuto uke : middle sideward knife-hand block |
| chudan yoko uke : middle sideward block |
| chudan zuki : middle punch |
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| D |
| dachi : alternative spelling of "tachi," stance |
| dan : step (as in chudan), or black belt ranking (as in godan) |
| denzook : no count |
| deshi : student or disciple |
| do : way or path |
| dojo : sacred place of the "way" or learning hall |
| dojo kun : dojo precepts/maxims |
| domo arigato gozaimasu : thank you very much (most polite) |
| dozo : please |
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| E |
| embusen : ground or performance diagram |
| enso : Zen circle |
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| F |
| fukubu geri : abdomen kick |
| fukyugata : basic |
| fukyugata ichi : the first kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| fukyugata ni : the second kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| fukyugata san : the third kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
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| G |
| gamaku : use of hip; koshi |
| gedan : lower level |
| gedan barai uke : downward block |
| gedan haito yoko uke : lower sideward reverse knife-hand block |
| gedan kosa uke : downward cross block |
| gedan shotei ate : lower palm-heel smash |
| gedan shotei uke : lower palm-heel block |
| gedan shuto uke : lower knife-hand block |
| gedan shuto yoko barai uke : lower sideward knife-hand slashing block |
| gedan uke : downward block |
| gedan yoko barai uke : lower sideward block |
| gedan zuki : downward punch |
| geri : alternative spelling of "keri," kick |
| geta : clogs (usually wooden) |
| gi : uniform |
| go : five |
| godan : fifth degree black belt |
| gojushiho : the seventeenth kata of Shorin-ryu karate |
| go-kyu : two green tips on white belt |
| Goju Ryu : "Hard/Soft" style founded by Chojun Miyagi |
| Gorin No Sho : Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi |
| gyaku zuki : reverse or cross punch |
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| H |
| hachi : eight |
| hachidan : eighth degree black belt |
| hai : yes |
| haito uchi : reverse knife-hand strike (Naihanchi I) |
| haito uke : reverse knife-hand block |
| hajime : begin |
| hangetsu barai uke : half-moon foot block |
| hangetsu zuki : half-moon punch |
| hanshi : third and highest teaching title |
| hantai : reverse |
| hara : lower abdomen |
| hayashi : forest |
| hazushi uke : removing block |
| heisoku dachi : closed foot stance |
| hidari : left |
| hidari ashi mae shizentai dachi : left front foot natural stance |
| hiji : elbow |
| hiji ate : elbow smash |
| hiji uke : elbow block |
| hikari : light |
| hiza : knee |
| hiza ate : knee smash |
| hojo undo : subsidiary exercises |
| hombu/honbu dojo : main or headquarters dojo |
| hotoke gamae : Buddha-hand fighting posture |
| hyaku : one hundred |
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| I |
| iaigoshi dachi : kneeling stance |
| ichi : one |
| ieku : wooden oar |
| ik-kyu : black tips on brown belt |
| ippon ashi dachi : one leg stance (Rohai) |
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| J |
| jigotai dachi : wide open-leg stance |
| jiyu kumite : free sparring |
| jo : short staff |
| jodan : upper level |
| jodan kosa uke : upper cross block |
| jodan shotei ate : upper palm-heel smash |
| jodan uchi shuto uke : upper inner knife-hand block |
| jodan uke : upper level block |
| jodan wari uke : upper split block |
| jodan zuki : upper level punch |
| josokutei : ball of the foot |
| ju : ten |
| judan : tenth degree black belt |
| jun shizentai dachi : quasi-natural stance |
| junbi undo : warm-up exercises |
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| K |
| kakushi zuki : hidden fist punch (Wanshu) |
| kaku zuki : square (corner) punch |
| kama : hand sickle |
| kamae : fighting posture |
| kamaekata : ready stances |
| kami : heavy earthenware jars |
| kanji : Chinese and Japanese ideograms |
| kansetsu geri : joint kick |
| kara : empty or China, depending upon the character |
| Karate : empty-hand self-defense art |
| Karate-Do : the way of Karate |
| karateka : one who practices Karate |
| Karate ni sente nashi : there is no first attack in Karate |
| kata : form |
| katsu jin ken : fist or sword that gives life |
| keikoken zuki : forefinger-knuckle punch |
| ken : fist or sword |
| kentsui : hammer fist |
| kentsui uchi : hammer fist strike |
| Ken Zen Ichinyo : Karate and Zen as One |
| keri : kick |
| keri waza : kicking technique |
| ki : spirit energy |
| kiai : spirit convergence, often coinciding with a yell |
| kiba dachi : horse-riding straddle stance |
| kihon : basics |
| kihon tanren : basic exercises performed while stationary |
| kihon undo : basic exercises performed while moving |
| kinteki : groin |
| kinteki geri : groin kick |
| kobudo : ancient weapon arts |
| kobujutsu : ancient weapon arts |
| kohai : junior |
| kokoro : heart, mind or spirit |
| kokutsu dachi : back-leg bent stance |
| kokyu : breathing |
| kon : wooden staff |
| koshi : hip or pelvic carriage |
| koshi o ireru : using the hip, twisting hip movement |
| koteki tae : arm conditioning practice |
| ku : nine |
| kudan : ninth degree black belt |
| kumite : sparring |
| kusanku : the nineteenth kata of Shorin-ryu karate, and the most difficult |
| kyobu : chest |
| kyobu geri : chest kick |
| kyobu morote shuto uchi : chest double knife-hand strike |
| kyoshi : second teaching title |
| kyu : rank below black belt |
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| M |
| ma-ai : distance, spacing |
| mae : front |
| mae geri : front kick |
| mae hiji ate : forward elbow strike |
| mageru : circle |
| magetori barai uke : rising upward both-hand knife block |
| makite uke : winding knife-hand block |
| makiwara : striking board of various types |
| manji sai : sai with one prong reversed |
| mawashi geri : roundhouse kick |
| mawatte : turn |
| mazu sono kokoro wo tadase : first purify your mind |
| migi : right |
| migi ashi mae shizentai dachi : right foot front natural stance |
| Miyagi Chojun : founder of Goju Ryu and creator of Fukyugata Ni |
| mokuso : meditation |
| morote : double, or both hands |
| morote barai uke : augmented lower block |
| morote nuki zuki : double spear-hand thrust |
| morote soe uke : augmented forearm block |
| morote zuki : augmented side punch |
| mudansha : kyu grade level/holders |
| mushin : no-mind |
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| N |
| Naha-Te : Karate developed in the Naha area of Okinawa |
| Naihanchi : set of three ancient kata characterized by naihanchi dachi |
| naihanchi dachi : straddle-leg stance (feet parallel) |
| naihanchi nidan : the tenth kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| naihanchi sandan : the eleventh kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| naihanchi shodan : the ninth kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| nana : seven (sometimes used instead of shichi) |
| naname : slanted |
| naname zenkutsu dachi : slanted front bent-leg stance |
| neko ashi dachi : cat stance |
| ni : two |
| nidan : second degree black belt |
| nidan geri : flying front kick |
| ni-kyu : brown belt |
| Nihon : Japan |
| Nippon : Japan |
| nukite zuki : spear-hand thrust |
| nunchaku : wooden flailing weapon |
| nunti sai : manji sai attached to bo |
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| O |
| obi : belt |
| oi zuki : chasing punch |
| onegaishimasu : please do me a favor |
| oni waza : demon technique |
| Osensei : title of respect usually reserved for founder of an art |
| otera : temple (place) |
| otoshi uke : downward dropping block |
| oyo-tan-ren : all basic techniques |
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| P |
| Passai : the sixteenth kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| Pinan : set of five kata developed by Anko Itosu in 1907 to be taught in high school, "peace gate" |
| Pinan Godan : the eighth kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| Pinan Nidan : the fifth kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| Pinan Sandan : the sixth kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| Pinan Shodan : the fourth kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| Pinan Yondan : the seventh kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
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| R |
| rei : bow |
| reigi : etiquette |
| renshi : first teaching title, qualified instructor |
| renzoku : without count |
| Rohai : the fourteenth kata in Shorin-ryu karate |
| rokoji : lay priest (Zen) |
| roku : six |
| rokudan : sixth degree black belt |
| ro-kyu : one green tip on white belt |
| roshi : abbot (Zen) |
| rotaishi : archbishop (Zen) |
| ryu : school or system |
| Ryukyu : Okinawa |
| ryu no shita no kamae : dragon-tongue fighting posture |
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| S |
| sagurite no kamae : searching-hand (or shadow-hand) fighting posture |
| sagurite uke : searching-hand (or shadow-hand) block |
| sai : three pronged ancient sword-blocking weapon, usually of iron |
| saijutsu : sai art |
| Sakugawa No Kon : ancient bo kata (Sakugawa's) |
| samurai : Japanese warrior |
| san : three |
| sandan : third degree black belt |
| san-kyu : brown tips on green belt |
| saru : monkey (Motobu no Saru) |
| sasae hiji ate : supported elbow smash |
| sasae uke : supported forearm block |
| sashi : stone or iron hand-grip |
| sayu barai uke : double lower side block |
| sayu zuki : double side punch |
| seiken : fist |
| seiken ude uke : forearm block |
| seiken waza : fist technique |
| seiza : formal sitting posture |
| semekata : attacking technique |
| sempai : senior |
| sensei : teacher, instructor, elder |
| sensei-ni-rei : all bow to sensei |
| shi : four |
| shichi : seven |
| shichidan : seventh degree black belt |
| shigoki : savage training |
| shihan : director |
| shikaku : dead angle; taking a location where the opponent is most vulnerable and least able to protect himself or respond with an attack |
| shinden-ni-rei : all bow to those who came before us |
| shin gi tai : mind-technique-body |
| shin gi tai ichinyo : oneness of mind-technique-body |
| shin zen bi : truth, honesty and beauty |
| shiro : white |
| Shiro Matsu No Kon : white pine bo kata |
| shizentai dachi : natural stance |
| shizuka na kokoro : quiet spirit |
| shi zuki : beak thrust |
| shodan : first degree black belt |
| Shorei-Ryu : early Karate school developed around Naha |
| Shorin : pine forest (Sino-Japanese pronunciation) |
| Shorin-Ryu : early Karate school developed from Shuri and Tomari |
| shotei : palm-heel |
| shotei ate : palm-heel smash |
| shotei uke : palm-heel block |
| shugo : line up |
| shugyo : the practice of mind-body transcendence |
| Shushi No Kon : bo kata |
| Shuri-Te : early Karate school developed around Shuri |
| shuto : knife-hand |
| shuto uchi : knife-hand strike |
| shuto uke : knife-hand block |
| shuto waza : knife-hand technique |
| sokko : instep of the foot |
| sokuto : foot-edge |
| sokuto geri : foot-edge kick |
| soto hachiji shizentai dachi: open-leg natural stance |
| suirakan no kamae : drunkard fighting posture |
| suruchin : chain |
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| T |
| tachi : stance |
| tachikata : stances |
| tai sabaki : body movement or shifting |
| tanden : spot two inches below the navel |
| tate hiji ate : upward elbow smash |
| te : hand |
| tegumi : Okinawan form of wrestling; characters for kumite backwards |
| tekko : metal knuckles |
| tengu : long-nosed goblin |
| tengu ni naru : arrogance |
| tenshin : body and distance shifting |
| tenshin no kamae : body shifting fighting posture |
| tetsugeta : iron clogs |
| Tomari-Te : early Karate school developed around Tomari |
| tomoe shotei ate : circular palm-heel smash |
| tomoe zuki : circular block and punch |
| tonfa : wooden weapon with handles. See "tuifa." |
| torite uke : grasping-hand block |
| Tode : Chinese self-defense art |
| Tote : Chinese self-defense art |
| tsuki : punch |
| tsuki waza : punching technique |
| tsumasaki geri : toe-tip kick |
| tuifa : wooden weapon with handles. See "tonfa." |
| Tuite : Chinese self-defense art |
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| U |
| uchi : strike |
| Uchinan : Okinawa |
| Uchinanchu : Okinawan |
| uchi waza : striking technique |
| uke : block |
| uke kata : blocking techniques |
| uke waza : blocking technique |
| ura : back |
| ura gamae : cheating fighting-posture |
| ura ken : backfist |
| ura ken uchi : backfist strike |
| ushiro : backward |
| ushiro geri : back kick |
| ushiro hiji ate : backward elbow smash |
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| W |
| wankan : the thirteenth kata of Shorin-ryu karate |
| wanshu : the fifteenth kata of Shorin-ryu karate |
| wari uke : split block |
| wari uke zuki : split block punch |
| waza : technique |
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| Y |
| yakusoku kumite : "promise" kumite, pre-arranged sparring |
| yame : stop |
| yari : spear |
| yoi : ready |
| yoko : side |
| yoko geri : side foot-edge kick |
| yoko hiji ate : side elbow smash |
| yon : four (yon is often used instead of shi) |
| yondan : fourth degree black belt |
| yon-kyu : green belt |
| yubi waza : finger technique |
| yudansha : black belt level/holders |
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| Z |
| zabuton : large pillow used for zazen |
| zanshin : The state of mind where one is able to proceed from the end of one movement
to the next movement freely |
| zaru : monkey (Motobu Zaru) |
| zazen : sitting form of meditation |
| Zen : A Japanese school of Buddhism in which enlightenment is attained through direct intuitive insight |
| zenkutsu dachi : front bent-leg stance |
| zenkutsu dachi gedan-barai-uke : front bent-leg stance lower block |
| zuki : alternative spelling of tsuki, punch |
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